28 December 2005

A Himalayan black bear was killed for its gall bladder in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal on 25 December 2005. The sub adult bear was poisoned to death, and its gall bladder subsequently removed.

The Forest Department, which recovered the body, is searching nearby villages that lie on the border with Bhutan and Assam. Buxa has a limited black bear population, and the incident is a worrying reminder that the bile trade is still active in North Bengal.

The Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) has received reports that over the past month, six bear cubs have wandered out of Buxa and subsequently rescued from nearby villages by the Forest Department. Some local NGO’s believe that the cubs may have been orphaned after their mothers were killed for the bile trade.